Mariah Carey Faces Backlash Over Teleprompter Use at Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony
Mariah Carey has become the subject of widespread mockery after a video surfaced showing her using a teleprompter to phonetically spell out Italian lyrics during her performance at the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony. The 56-year-old singer was seen reading the words to Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu, more commonly known as Volare, with the teleprompter displaying a phonetic breakdown of the song's Italian lyrics.
Iconic Song and Controversial Performance
First released by Domenico Modugno in 1958, this iconic Italian song symbolises dreams of freedom, happiness, and the sensation of flying high in the sky. However, Carey's rendition at the ceremony in Milan on Friday, which marked the start of the 25th Olympic Winter Games, quickly drew criticism on social media platforms.
The teleprompter notably spelled out phrases like 'Ay-een-comb-een-chah-voh. Voh-lah-reh.', leading to a flood of negative comments from viewers. Many questioned why an Italian singer was not chosen for the performance, with one comment stating, 'Why wasn’t an Italian singing its Italia.' Another added, 'I love Mariah but they should have had one of our own singing this like Andrea Bocelli.'
Lip-Syncing Speculation and Official Responses
The controversy deepened as event bosses refused to rule out that Carey was lip-synching during her performance. When directly asked whether Mariah was miming, the show's director, Maria Laura Iascone, confirmed that a prerecording had been made but declined to specify if it was used or if the singer performed live. 'During all the ceremonies, in order to be on the safe side, we always record. But this is something that is practised internationally in events with high-level broadcasting,' Iascone explained.
Despite the backlash, Iascone praised Carey's performance, calling it a 'really extraordinary show' and stating, 'It was fantastic for everybody, and we are all satisfied by the results we had. And the images prove it to you all because there was magic.' A spokesperson for Milan-Cortina also noted that some elements of the opening ceremony had been pre-recorded 'to ensure accurate timing, sound quality and a seamless broadcast'.
Social Media Reactions and Further Criticism
Social media users were quick to express their disappointment, with many accusing Carey of poor lip-syncing. One user tweeted, 'I haven't seen a worse lip sync performance than this in years,' while another posted, 'Some of the most awful lip syncing by Mariah Carey come on Italy, you have your own singers!!' Additional comments included:
- 'Witnessing Mariah Carey at the Olympics Opening Ceremony...she is stiff, lip syncing and looks like she's reading off a teleprompter.'
- 'Mariah Carey lip syncing looks awfully off.'
- 'The worst part is that Mariah Carey isn’t even trying to hide the fact she’s lip syncing.'
Some spectators claimed that Carey appeared to be moving her lips more slowly than the audio, suggesting a lack of effort in her vocal delivery. The ceremony was also marked by booing for US Vice-President JD Vance, who attended the San Siro event to watch Team USA enter.
Background and Confusion Over Carey's Inclusion
While Mariah Carey has no Italian heritage—she was born to a father with Irish ancestry and an Afro-Venezuelan mother—she is trained in opera and possesses an impressive vocal range. Nevertheless, her selection for the performance initially caused confusion when announced in December, with many wondering why an American singer was chosen to perform an Italian classic at such a significant event.
This incident highlights the ongoing debates around authenticity and performance standards in major international ceremonies, as artists balance live singing with prerecorded elements to meet broadcast demands.
